


His Achilles Heel

by nhasablog



Category: The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Tickle Fights, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2016-12-03
Packaged: 2018-09-06 05:23:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8736475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nhasablog/pseuds/nhasablog
Summary: “One day I will get my revenge,” he told him as they walked back to their cave.
“How? I’m not ticklish,” Achilles replied merrily.
“I’m sure that’s a lie.”
“Good luck finding that out when I can barely look at you before you start laughing.”
(Or, After having endured Achilles’ ticklish treatment for so long Patroclus decides to see if the best of the Greek has any sensitive spots himself.)





	

The sky was pink, the cave was warm, and the air was filled with Patroclus’ laughter. Patroclus himself was of course too occupied to properly appreciate it all. Achilles’ fingers were gentle but ruthless against his skin. The fact that Achilles was so much stronger didn’t even really matter. As soon as it was indicated that he would get tickled Patroclus became ten times weaker than he was.

“Stohohop it,” he begged, doing his best to catch Achilles’ wrists, but having little success since Achilles kept switching spots to keep him on edge.

“Why?” Achilles asked, and Patroclus could hear his grin.

“Becahahause!”

“Because it tickles?” Oh, Patroclus didn’t trust the innocence in his voice.

Somehow Patroclus managed to grip one of Achilles’ hands, holding it as tightly as he could. “Please,” he choked out. “Mercy.”

Achilles barked out a laugh. “Only because you asked so nicely.” He leaned down to press his lips against Patroclus’ forehead. “You’re sweaty.”

“Maybe because you made it your mission to kill me.”

“And you call me the dramatic one.” Achilles heaved himself off of him and extended a hand to help him up. “Let’s take an evening dip. The ocean’s amazing this time of day.”

He was right. Patroclus closed his eyes and felt the slow waves hit his abdomen and then his rib cage and then his chest. He opened his eyes when he’d walked as far into the water as he felt was necessary, and saw the last few rays of that day’s unbearable sun making the ocean glitter.

He heard Achilles approach him, felt his hands circle around his waist and his head rest against his shoulder. His hair was tickling Patroclus’ ear, so he turned his head toward him and placed a brief kiss to Achilles’ cheek. He didn’t want to anger Thetis, but he couldn’t help it. The ocean remained calm, but Patroclus didn’t dare kiss Achilles again.

“What are you thinking of?” Achilles murmured after a while.

Patroclus squinted at the descending sun. “Your mother,” he answered truthfully.

“My mother?” Achilles almost sounded amused. “What about her?”

Patroclus shook his head. “Nothing. She just crossed my mind. We’re in her realm, after all.”

Achilles hummed. “Do you  want to go back inside?”

“Not yet.”

They watched the sun go down completely and felt the instant effect. The water became colder, second by second, and Patroclus’ body was soon covered with goosebumps. He ran his hands over the top of the surface, creating smaller waves just for the fun of it. While his heart was beating harder by the minute due to his fear of Thetis suddenly appearing Patroclus couldn’t help but to adore this moment. Everything was so still. So calm. It was hard to think of the wars Achilles was destined to fight in a moment like this.

“What are you thinking of now?” Achilles asked.

Patroclus laughed. “Aren’t you curious today?”

“You look so thoughtful,” Achilles said in his defence. “And I like hearing your thoughts.”

Patroclus turned his head to smile at him. “I wasn’t thinking of anything in particular.”

“Liar.” Achilles, who still had his arms wrapped around him, wiggled his fingers briefly against his sides. “Don’t make me tickle it out of you.”

Patroclus placed his hands on top of Achilles’. “Do you want me to drown?”

“Not really.”

“So don’t.”

Achilles sighed. “Fine. But I might once we get inside.”

Patroclus was already giggling. He couldn’t help it. “Let’s never go inside.”

“To think that your fear of tickling outweighs your fear of my mother’s wrath.”

“I’m not _scared_ of it. It’s just unbearable.”

“You’re so sensitive. I find it endearing.” His words made Patroclus’ cheeks burn.

“Oh, hush,” he said, trying to escape from his embrace, but Achilles just hugged him tighter.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Achilles said with a laugh. “You’ll have to stay here and listen to my compliments.”

“Achilles,” Patroclus tried to whine, but it came out more giggly than anything.

“Let’s see. Other than being endearingly ticklish you also have the most precious laugh. And you’re absolutely beautiful when you laugh, mind you. The way you flail around all helplessly is both hilarious and adorable. Oh, and let’s not forget how little strength you have when I tickle you. It’s wonderful. Do you want me to go on?”

“Your mother will kill us,” Patroclus said, laughing because Achilles was wiggling his fingers again, and it was more than he could take.

“Does this mean you want to go back inside?”

“Yehehes!”

“Oh, good. I was just waiting for you to make up your mind.” He released him, his smile bright enough that they didn’t need the sun. Patroclus couldn’t even pretend to be mad at him.

“One day I will get my revenge,” he told him as they walked back to their cave.

“How? I’m not ticklish,” Achilles replied merrily.

“I’m sure that’s a lie.”

“Good luck finding that out when I can barely look at you before you start laughing.”

Patroclus managed to dodge the tickle Achilles was about to give his neck. “You’re so annoying.”

“You love me.”

He couldn’t deny the truth.

* * *

 

Patroclus had made up his mind that night. There was no way that Achilles didn’t have at least one sensitive spot on his body, and he made it his mission to find said spot.

But Achilles didn’t make it that simple for him. Each time Patroclus made a move he raised an amused eyebrow before turning the tables. Achilles had made a habit out of tickling Patroclus for several years now, but Patroclus had never laughed as much as he did that week, and it was mostly his own fault for provoking him.

Achilles decided to comment in it somewhere after his tenth attempt. “You’re not very good at catching me off guard.”

Patroclus huffed where Achilles had him pinned. “Can _anyone_ catch you off guard?”

“Well, no.”

“It’s unfair. You should let me try places out. If you’re not ticklish you have nothing to fear.”

“But I like seeing you work for it,” Achilles replied with a grin.

Patroclus narrowed his eyes at him. “I think you _are_ ticklish and are just hiding it from me.”

Achilles rolled his eyes. “I’m not.”

“Prove it.”

“How?”

“Let me tickle you.”

“Come on.”

It was Patroclus’ turn to grin. “That’s proof in itself.”

Achilles got off of him with a snort. “Bring it on.”

Patroclus sat up and rubbed his hands together. “Oh, I will.”

It was a little weird to tickle someone who didn’t react, but Patroclus was hopeful. He started by wiggling his fingers on Achilles’ neck and ears and moved downwards, testing spot after spot. Achilles just sat there, not even twitching, his face completely blank. It made Patroclus even more determined.

“Are you done?” he asked when Patroclus had reached his legs, sounding a little bored. “I want to reduce you to a giggling mess now.”

“Be patient. I haven’t tried your whole body yet.”

He was starting to get a little worried though. Achilles hadn’t reacted at all and he was running out of body parts. The feet were his last hope, but as he reached down he made a discovery before he’d even reached the soles.

“Woah!” Achilles exclaimed, probably involuntarily, as he pulled his leg out of Patroclus’ reach.

“I found a spot!” Patroclus said. “Your heel. You’re ticklish on your heel.”

“I’m not,” Achilles protested.

“Then what was that?”

“I don’t know.”

“Have you ever been tickled, Achilles?”

“No.”

Patroclus pointed at his foot. “That was how it feels to be ticklish.”

Achilles started laughing when Patroclus tried to grab his foot again. “Don’t.”

“Revenge will be so sweet.”

It turned out that Achilles was only ticklish on one heel, which was weird, but at least Patroclus had his few minutes of fun. It was hard keeping the foot pinned, since Achilles was so much stronger than him, but he managed to give the heel a good tickle from time to time. The best part was Achilles’ laughter; so hysterical and desperate and carefree. He had a lot on his plate, what with being the best of the Greeks and all, so to see him let loose so completely was thrilling.

Achilles’ own revenge was ten times as effective, of course, but it had been so worth it just for those short moments.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://nhasablog.tumblr.com)


End file.
